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Eastern Conference Semi-Finals - Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers - Game 1

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
VS

May 1, 2010
Quicken Loans Arena
8:00PM et
Radio - WTAM 1100 / TNT
Probable starters:
Rajon Rondo PG Mo Williams
Ray Allen SG Anthony Parker
Paul Pierce SF LeBron James
Kevin Garnett PF Antawn Jamison
Kendrick Perkins C Shaquille O'Neal

3-in the Key

1. Cleveland continues their fifth straight and 18th overall postseason appearance versus the Boston Celtics in the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals. It will mark the fifth time the teams have faced each other in the playoffs (1976 Conference Finals, 1985 First Round, 1992 Conference Semifinals and the 2008 Conference Semifinals) with Boston leading the series 3-1.

2. After a 4-1 series victory over Chicago, Cleveland comes in as the only team to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the last five years. The Cavaliers are one of the most experienced postseason teams in games played since the 2006 NBA Playoffs. The Cavs' 65 postseason games played in that span leads all NBA teams with the Los Angeles Lakers ranking second. Cleveland is 67-74 (.475) all-time in the playoffs.

3. In the franchise's 18 years in the postseason, Cleveland is now 46-25 (.648) at home and 26-12 (.684) at The Q. The team has won 12 of their last 13 postseason games at The Q. Since the 2006 postseason, the Cavs are 25-7 (.781) at home, which is the second most home wins in the playoffs over that span (Los Angeles Lakers are 26-5).

BONUS - One of the key points of the series will be three-point shooting. The Cavs continue to possess one of the NBA's top differentials in three-point field goals made and accuracy from the regular season to the first round of the playoffs. Cleveland shot .403, which ranked second, while also defending the arc the second-best at .296. This led to a 7.2 three-point field goal and 22.8 point advantage per game for Cleveland over Chicago. In their own series, Boston shot a league-best .439 in three-pointers.

Poll

Who will win the series between the Cavaliers and Celtics?

This poll is closed

  • 3%
    Cavaliers in 4
    (16 votes)
  • 10%
    Cavaliers in 5
    (53 votes)
  • 16%
    Cavaliers in 6
    (88 votes)
  • 11%
    Cavaliers in 7
    (62 votes)
  • 1%
    Celtics in 4
    (6 votes)
  • 1%
    Celtics in 5
    (10 votes)
  • 45%
    Celtics in 6
    (234 votes)
  • 9%
    Celtics in 7
    (51 votes)
520 votes total Vote Now